The use of "Since" and "For" with examples and exercise.

 In this article, I have explained the use of "For" and "Since" with examples. I have explained when and how since and for is used in sentences. I have also explained when and how we should use since and for. Since and for is used in present perfect continuous, past perfect continuous, and future perfect continuous tense.

The use of "since" and "for" 

If there is a time reference or sense of time then "since" or "for" is used in the sentences. "Since" and "for" are used in the present perfect continuous tense, past perfect continuous tense, and future perfect continuous tense. If there is no time reference then it is present continuous tense, past continuous tense, and future continuous tense.

For

If the time reference is exactly known such as 1990, 7’clock, morning, evening, at noon, at night, in the afternoon, then “For” is used in order to express time reference. The time reference is used in present perfect continuous, past perfect continuous, and future perfect continuous.

Examples

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

• I have been studying in this college for ten years. 
• He has been driving this bus for many years.
• He has been working for fifteen minutes.
• They have been working in this office for ten years.
• You have been trying to get a job for several years.
• He has been going to college for two months.
• I have been writing a book for five weeks.
• They have been playing football for three years.
• She has been pressing clothes for five minutes.
• We have been teaching in this school for seven months.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

• I had been studying in this college for ten years. 
• He had been driving this bus for many years.
• He had been working for fifteen minutes.
• They had been working in this office for ten years.
• You had been trying to get a job for several years.
• He had been going to college for two months.
• I had been writing a book for five weeks.
• They had been playing football for three years.
• She had been pressing clothes for five minutes.
• We had been teaching in this school for seven months.

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

•  I shall have been studying in this college for ten years. 
• He will have been running this shop for many years.
• He will have been working for fifteen minutes.
• They will have been working in this office for ten years.
• You will have been trying to get a job for several years.
• He will have been going to college for two months.
• I shall have been writing a book for five weeks.
• They will have been playing football for three years.
• She will have been pressing clothes for five minutes.
• We shall have been teaching in this school for seven months.

SINCE

If the time reference is not exactly known but the duration of time is given such as one hour, two days, three weeks, four months, five years, then For is used in order to express time reference in the sentence.

For example, five years is not exactly a known time because we do not know which five years of the century are mentioned in the sentence while 1990 is exactly a known time.

Examples

Present perfect Continuous Tense

• It has been raining since morning.
• It has been raining since noon.
• It has been raining since the afternoon.
• It has been raining since the evening.
• It has been raining since night.
• It has been raining since midnight.
• It has been raining since yesterday.
• It has been raining since Friday.
• I have been playing since my childhood.
• We have taught since 1990.  

Past perfect Continuous Tense

• It had been raining since morning.
• It had been raining since noon.
• It had been raining since the afternoon.
• It had been raining since the evening.
• It had been raining since night.
• It had been raining since midnight.
• It had been raining since yesterday.
• It had been raining since Friday.
• I had been playing since my childhood.
• We had been taught English since 1990.   

Future perfect continuous Tense

• It will have been raining since morning.
• It will have been raining since noon.
• It will have been raining since the afternoon.
• It will have been raining since the evening.
• It will have been raining since night.
• It will have been raining since midnight.
• It will have been raining since yesterday.
• It will have been raining since Friday.
• I will have been playing since my childhood.
• We will have been taught English since 1990. 

                                                             

     SINCE                FOR                                                             

   Since noon                    For three weeks
  

 Since afternoon             For four months
  

 Since  evening               For five years

 Since night                      For seven hours
  

Since Monday                 For ten minutes

 Since last Sunday            For six seconds

  Since yesterday               For several days

 Since childhood              For a long time

  Since 1090                      For many days                                                   

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Present Indefinite tense
Past Indefinite tense
Future Indefinite tense
Present Continuous tense
Past continuous tense
Future continuous tense